# US 12,118,354 B2 · Virtually padding data structures > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,118,354 B2 - Document ID: US12118354B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/899,231 - Filed: 2022-08-30 - Published: 2024-02-29 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2022-08-30 - Assignees: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. - Applicants: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. - Inventors: Meysam Taassori; Shaizeen Dilawarhusen Aga; Mohamed Assem Abd ElMohsen Ibrahim; Johnathan Robert Alsop - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12118354B2 ## CPC - G06F 9/30036: {Instructions to perform operations on packed data, e.g. vector, tile or matrix operations} - G06F 12/10: Address translation - G06F 12/1009: using page tables, e.g. page table structures - G06F 16/2237: {Vectors, bitmaps or matrices} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A virtual padding unit provides a virtual padded data structure (e.g., virtually padded matrix) that provides output values for a padded data structure without storing all of the padding elements in memory. When the virtual padding unit receives a virtual memory address of a location in the virtual padded data structure, the virtual padding unit checks whether the location is a non-padded location in the virtual padded data structure or a padded location in the virtual padded data structure. If the location is a padded location in the virtual padded data structure, the virtual padding unit outputs a padding value rather than a value stored in the virtual padded data structure. If the location is a non-padded location in the virtual padded data structure, a value stored at the location is output. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving an address of a location in memory; and outputting, based on the address corresponding to a padding value in a virtually padded data structure having multiple padding values and without having stored all of the multiple padding values of the virtually padded data structure in memory, the padding value. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the virtually padded data structure comprises a virtually padded matrix. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting, based on the address corresponding to a value in the virtually padded data structure that is not a padding value, an address of the location in an initial data structure that is a basis for the virtually padded data structure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, based on the address not corresponding to a location in the virtually padded data structure, passing through the address. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: maintaining a record of a location, a shape, and a size of the virtually padded data structure, and a location, a shape, and a size of an initial data structure that is a basis for the virtually padded data structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: receiving a padding instruction identifying the initial data structure and a type of padding to use for the virtually padded data structure; and maintaining, in the record, an indication of the type of padding as associated with the initial data structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting comprises outputting, as the padding value, a constant value. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a padding instruction identifying an initial data structure that is a basis for the virtually padded data structure and a type of padding to use for the virtually padded data structure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising: retrieving from a cache, based on the address corresponding to a padding value in the virtually padded data structure, the padding value; and retrieving from the cache, based on the address corresponding to a value in the virtually padded data structure that is not a padding value, the address of the location in the initial data structure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising: obtaining, based on the address corresponding to a padding value in the virtually padded data structure, the padding value by applying a function to the address; and obtaining, based on the address corresponding to a value in the virtually padded data structure that is not a padding value, the address of the location in the initial data structure by applying a function to the received address. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein whether the address corresponds to a value in the virtually padded data structure that is not a padding value is based on a field in a page table entry or other tracking structure that includes the address. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein whether the address corresponds to a value in the virtually padded data structure that is not a padding value is based on whether the address is within a particular range, based on one or more bits in an issuing instruction including the address, or based on an index into a padding data table. ### Claim 13 A system comprising: a memory; and at least one processor configured to: receive a virtual address of a location in virtual memory; and output, without having stored all of multiple padding values of a virtually padded data structure in the memory, a padding value based on the address corresponding to a padding value in the virtually padded data structure. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to output, based on the address corresponding to a value in the virtually padded data structure that is not a padding value, an address of the location in an initial data structure that is a basis for the virtually padded data structure. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: maintain a record of a location, a shape, and a size of the virtually padded data structure, and a location, a shape, and a size of an initial data structure that is a basis for the virtually padded data structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive a padding instruction identifying the initial data structure and a type of padding to use for the virtually padded data structure; and maintain, in the record, an indication of the type of padding as associated with the initial data structure. ### Claim 17 A computing device comprising: a memory; and at least one processor configured to receive an address of a location in the memory and output, without having stored all of multiple padding values elements of a virtually padded data structure in the memory, an address of the location in an initial data structure that is a basis for the virtually padded data structure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The computing device of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to output a padding value based on the address corresponding to a padding value in the virtually padded data structure. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The computing device of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to output, as the padding value, a constant value. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The computing device of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive a padding instruction identifying the initial data structure and a type of padding to use for the virtually padded data structure.